Our Pod

Krystal Couture

"Since
I was a child, I had a fascination with dolphins. Every
time, I went to amusement parks where there were
dolphins, I was immediately targeted by the dolphins.
They would willingly, without trainer direction, come up
and touch my hands. On three separate occasions,
dolphins brought my hands into their mouths, against
their teeth, never biting, just holding. I always
wanted to learn more about dolphins and sought a deeper
connection. As a child, I was always, ALWAYS, in the
water! I would swim for hours and hours.

As I entered adulthood, I
learned that I wanted to become a Physical Therapist in
order to help people in their healing process. From the
beginning of my career I was a manual based therapist. I
began learning CranioSacral therapy and opened myself up
to the possibility of working as a facilitator of
CranioSacral therapy on land, then, in water, and
finally with dolphins.

In 2011, the universe
presented me with an opportunity to form a relationship
with Dolphin Discovery, which has evolved into the
creation of Pure Fin, LLC. Pure Fin, LLC is a dream come true for
myself and the other facilitators, as it allows us to
provide an intensive holistic dolphin encounter for
clients, while doing what we love!

"

Julie Anderson

"After taking advanced CranioSacral courses, I picked up a brochure describing a BioAquatics Program in the Bahamas through Upledger Institute. As I held the brochure in my hand, I felt chills along my spine and time seemed to stand still as I considered the actual possibility of being so close to a dolphin. I decided at that moment I would make this opportunity happen no matter what it took to save the money. I’m so glad I followed my intuition on that day in 2003, as it shifted my life path as an occupational therapist to share healing dolphin experiences with others for the past 9 years. After being with dolphins, I notice an increased awareness in how I perceive my surroundings with my senses. It has always been a dream to combine my 20 years of therapeutic training with being around dolphins. I feel deeply blessed to be a therapist with Pure Fin,
LLC."

Gary Stiles

"I first heard about dolphin assisted therapy while assisting a CranioSacral therapy class and was inspired to read about experiences other people have had. , which led me to wanting my own experience. The experience that first hooked me was when I was preparing to get in the water with some dolphins for the first time. I had the desire to dive with the dolphin. When I got in the water a dolphin came over to me, I put my hand on her side and she immediately dove with me. When I needed to breath she surfaced long enough for me to take a quick breath and down we went again. This happened 5 times until I had to break the contact out of exhaustion. Even though I had my hand placed on her smooth skin my hand never slid, we were in perfect unison.
Since then I have participated in a number of dolphin assisted therapy programs. I have been out to swim with dolphins in the wild and had many wonderful encounters. What still captivates me is the seemingly infinite levels of communication and compassion I experience with these wonderful creatures.
"

Stacey Nutile

"As a little girl probably around the age 6 or 7, I remember thinking I want to play with dolphins!!! Then as I got older it become “I want to be a marine biologist.” Funny thing is the only reason I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist was so I could be and work with the dolphins! Fast forward many, many years… I received my bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell in 2002 and went on earn a doctorate degree in physical therapy from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell in 2004. My commitment is to the quality treatment of patients. I specialize in gentle manual therapy, primarily CranioSacral therapy, in combination with traditional physical therapy and other forms of hands on bodywork. I believe in approaching the mind, body and spirit as a whole with a holistic approach to therapy, education and exercise. Once I graduated I was fortunate enough to work, as a physical therapist, for a company who immediately began training me in craniosacral therapy as another form of manual therapy. Over the course of the next eight years I met, worked with, and became friends with several therapists. Each relationship was unique with one commonality. They are all truly amazing beings and therapists with an immense capacity to express kindness and caring for others and help promote healing on many levels. With that being said, Krystal presented me with the opportunity to work with the dolphins, and facilitate people with their healing process with such an amazing group of people, and without hesitation said yes! I was and still am so grateful for opportunity and consideration. Being treated in the water adds another dynamic to CST, but being in the water, with the dolphins assisting in that treatment brings it to a whole other level! It is a gift not many have the chance to experience. It has been a dream come true!

"

Jan Stiles

"As a Homeopath, body-mind therapist, and Attunement practitioner with decades of experience, I had always been fascinated with the amazing properties of water to hold energetic memory patterns. I've studied what little material is available on this topic knowing that we barely begin to understand or appreciate the potential of water molecules. Moving water molecules sense and open to massive amounts of information imprinted from the cosmos, from the creatures who live in this medium, from the land, and from human consciousness. This appreciation naturally led to exploring the interactions of dolphins and whales in the ocean medium and their relationship with sound and sonar in water. Reading about the early studies done by John C. Lilly opened up vistas of awareness about dolphins that changed my view of everything. Then, other material and especially reading Scott Taylor's book called “Souls in the Sea” awakened other dimensions of my consciousness and an indelible love of the cetaceans and what they bring to us.
Since then my experiences in aqua therapy in warm rocking ocean water and encounters with both wild dolphins of different species in the Bahamas, in Hawaii, and in the Caribbean and with captive dolphins have opened and lifted my consciousness into wordless dimensions and heights of care-free joy and ease that clearly have spiritual meaning and not merely physical healing. Ultimately this is what I wish to inspire anyone who has a resonance with the cetaceans to experience.
"

Nate Christy

"My introduction to the water was very different from the other facilitators. In fact, for most of my life, I wanted nothing to do with the water. I had some near drowning experiences as a child that instilled immense fear in me. I was first a client of craniosacral therapy, my wife, Krystal and my friends, Gary and Jan, treated me in the water one day. I felt that during this session, I was coughing up water from when I was a child, during the drowning experiences. After this initial session, I began to desire to be in the water and learned how to swim, snorkel, and am now learning to dive. My father and grandfather were professional divers. In just a few short years, I have overcome my fear and have come to love and appreciate the water.
This evolution and growth in my own self, has inspired me to inspire others that may meet resistance with water or anything else. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my experience and help others. Working with dolphins is one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had. Once I arrive in Tortola, I never want to leave!
"

Tortola Dolphins

Penelope

Penelope is the newest addition to the pod, was born in the
winter of 2012. Penelope is the daughter of Venus and Hippo.

Paris and Hector

Paris (left) and Hector (right) are young dolphins, born in the summer of 2012. Paris is a male dolphin who is the son of Ayla and Hippo. Hector is the young female, daughter of Maggie and Hippo.

Venus

Venus is a very special adult female dolphin as she is the first dolphin that Founding Facilitators Krystal and Nathan ever met. Venus loves to show off her jumps and tricks! She loves to interact with humans and other dolphins. Venus is the mother to Desiree (born 2009) who lives at Dolphin Discovery Anguilla with her friend Coco and Penelope (born 2012).

Maggie

Maggie is an adult female dolphin. She is the longest dolphin in Tortola and her dorsal fin curves to the left. Maggie is a very intelligent dolphin! Maggie is the mother to Coco (born 2009) who lives at Dolphin Discovery Anguilla with her friend Desiree and Hector (born 2012).

Ayla

Ayla is one of 3 adult female dolphins. She is a curious dolphin and loves human attention. Ayla is the mother to Jai (born 2009) and Paris (born 2012).

Jai

Jai is Ayla and Hippo's daughter, she was born in 2009. Jai loves to play with rings! She also loves to jump and twist into the air.

Keplar

Keplar is one of two adult male dolphins. He is the younger of the two males. He enjoys doing fancy tricks like back flips and surfing with the trainers.

Hippo

Hippo is the alpha male at Dolphin Discovery Tortola. He is in his forties and is still achieving alpha male status. Hippo is strong and wise; and he loves being part of the holistic wellness sessions and receiving sessions himself. Hippo loves in such a beautiful way.

*"Despite our backgrounds in therapeutics and associations with other entities, Pure Fin, LLC is not providing physical therapy, occupational therapy, massage therapy, nursing, or any other form of therapeutic medicine. We are facilitating a holistic experience in the water with dolphins, by assisting our participants to float in the water and laying of the hands on the participant. We are not licensed practitioners of the healing arts in the British Virgin Islands."